Mixing-machine.



Patented Dec. 4, |900.

' C. G. SCHMIDT.

MIXING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 147, 1900.;

(un nodal.)

Il l.,

y www U -f-A UNITED STATES PATENT l@merci-..

CHARLES G. SCHMIDT, OF CINCINNATL'OHO.

MIXING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,978, datedDecember@ 1900- Appli-cation filed January 17, 1900. Serial No. 1,725.(No model.)

To all whom it muy con/cern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES G. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mixing-Machines; and ldodeclare that the following is a description of the inventionsufficiently clear, full, and exact to enable others skilled in the artto which it appert-ains to make and use the same, attention being calledto the accompanying drawings, with the reference-numerals markedthereon, which form also a part of this specication.

This invention relates to machines for agitating plastic masses likecomminuted or chopped meat, dough,and similar substances,

the object being to thoroughly intermix the ingredients composing suchmasses. Such devices consist generally of a suitable vessel within whichthe masses are` contained and which is provided with operating means foragitating the same.

The invention consists of certain features of construction, ashereinafter shown and described, and .forms substantially improvementsupon a machine illustrated in Patent No. 514,048, which patent passed byassignment into my possession.

In the following specification, and particularly pointed out in theclaim, is found a full description of the invention, together with itsoperation, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1 is a top View of themachine with parts in position for discharge. Fig. 2 is a side View ofit. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on a line near the rightend of the Working in opposite directions against each other, each setmounted on a separate shaft, which latter are parallel to each other.The

distance between these shafts is so limited as to cause the free ends ofthe blades on one shaft rto reach over and travel through part of thepath of the blades on the other shaft, they clearing each other,however, by being attached in alternating positions changed laterally.The interiorsurface of the trough Ais shaped to correspond to the pathof the outer edge of these blades, so that these latter pass closely tosuch surface, thereby preventing any dead spaces where unmixed mattermight accum ulate, and thereby escape the action of the agitators. Byreason of the lapping of the paths of these latter a shape results, asmost plainly shown in Figs. 3 and 5, causing a longitudinal ridge 12 toappear in the center of the trough. The blades are all set at an angle,so that, they rotating in the direction shown, the mass is constantlyworked toward this ridge. The discharge of the mass is through anoutlet-opening 13, obtained by removing a portion of the lower part ofthe trough and normally held closed by a slide 1/1, resembling in shapeexactly the removed part, so that when in position there is nointerruption or break in the trough where matter could lodge oraccumulate in a manner to be beyond the action of the agitators.k Foropening or closing it this slide is moved endwise, as shown in Fig. l,it being supported on the beveled longitudinal edges 15 of opening 13,which serve as guideways for such purpose. To facilitate this movement,l provide a rack 16 on the under side of slide 14., which is engaged bya pinion 17, the shaft 18 of which is supported in bearings 19 andprovided at one of its ends witha crank 21 for operation. This latter ispreferably removable, so as not to be in the Way by reason of itsprojecting beyond the machine.

To hold the slide positively to its guide- Ways,1 provide lugs 22 on itsunder side, which project over the under side of the adjacent bottom ofthe trough. The slide is prevented from being moved out too far and Ybeyond engagement with its pinion bya suitable stop 23, which may be inform of a projecting screw. When the time for discharging the contentshas arrived, the slide is moved outwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, with theagitators kept going, thus obtaining the advantage 'of that part oftheir operation IOO whereby they shove the mass toward the longitudinalcenter line of the bottom of the trough. To move it, however, also awayfrom the ends ot' the trough and toward the opening in the bottomthereof, the agitator-blades are so set and shaped as to impart also alongitudinal movement to the mass. For such purpose they are setspirally around their shafts, and they are divided in two sets on eachshaft, one set moving the mass away from one end of the trough and theother set on the same shaft moving it away from the other end. It willnow be seen that these agitators have a compound action tending to movethe mass toward the middle of the trough, one part of the action movingthe mass away from the sides of the latter, the other away from itsends. This action is very efficient to obtain a thorough interminglingof the massLwhich is thus constantly crowded toward thecenter of thetrough, from where it spreads again by tumbling over the blades, only tobe forced again through the same motion. At the same time it is clearhow this same action brings about a proper, clean, and quick dischargewhen the slide is out, because being crowded toward the central part ofthe bottom of the trough and not nding any check or resistance thereatthe mass moves freely out at once. 24E is a receptacle which may receivethis discharge. The agitators are each provided with an open hub 25, sothat theymay be placed sidewise against the shafts, where they are heldby screws 26 passing throughV this latterand tapped into the hubs. Fortheir rotation shafts l1 mount each a cog-wheel 27, which intermesh andone of which is driven by a pinion 28. The shaft 29 of the pinion ismounted in self-contained bearings 3l 32, forming each a part of anindependent bracket 33, which is bolted to one of the end frames 8. Forrotating this pinionshaft there is a pulley 34, having beside it a loosepulley 35 to receive the belt from the other pulley when the operationof the machine is to beinterrupted. A belt-shifter 36 is provided forsuch purpose, the guide-rod 37 of which is supported in the upper partof end frames S and provided with a handle 38 for manipulation. Thisbelt-shifter may be attached to either side of the machine (see dottedlines in Fig. l) to suit circumstances and location, for which purposethere are additional openings 39 provided on the other side to receiveguide-,rods 37.

The height of the trough depends on circumstances, particularlyon thequantity of the mass to be operated upon and its tendency to splash. Itmay be increased integrally or by a removable addition 4l, resting onthe lower part, preferably secured thereto by hinges, and on which itmay be thrown back to permit access for cleaning. When so thrown back,it rests on brackets 42, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. A catch 43is provided to hold it in position while the machine is in operation.

Having described my invention, I claim as neww In a mixing-machine, thecombination of two parallel shafts carrying rotary agitatingblades andso spaced that the circular paths of these blades partly overlap eachother, a Vessel within which they operate, the lower part of which isshaped to conform to thesev paths, the shape being substantially that oftwo half-circular curves intersecting each other at a point below theircenters, a discharge-opening 13 in this curved lower part of the vessel,a slide tted to opening-l3 and between the longitudinal` edges l5thereof which are beveled and support the same, the inner surface ofthis slide being even with the inner surface of the vessel, to the shapeof which it conforms and of which it constitutes an unbrokenIcontinuation, both opening 13 and the slide therefor extending to oneof the ends of the vessel, so as to permit movement ot' the slide in andout on the longitudinal edges 15 of the opening which thus formguideways for the slide, means for so moving the slide and means toconfine the same vertically to the guideways.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

l CHARLES G. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses C. SPENGEL, ARTHUR KLINE.

